SAN FRANCISCO — By his own request, Melky Cabrera will not be eligible for the National League batting title.

The suspended Giants outfielder leads Major League Baseball with a .346 batting average but this week made a written request to have his name removed from consideration for the batting title. Major League Baseball and the Players Association agreed on a one-time amendment to rule 10.22(a), which makes Cabrera eligible.

Cabrera was one plate appearance shy of the required 502 when he was suspended for 50 games on Aug. 15 for use of testosterone, but rule 10.22(a) would have allowed him to add one hitless at-bat to his total. MLB announced Friday that for the 2012 season, that hitless at-bat will not be applicable for any player who served a drug suspension.

“I have no wish to win an award that would be tainted,” Cabrera said in a statement. “I believe it would be far better for someone more deserving to win.”

That someone could be Buster Posey, the player who hit directly behind Cabrera for much of the season. Posey entered play Friday with a .335 average, four points behind Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen.

During a news conference to discuss his selection as the Giants’ “Willie Mac” Award winner, Posey said he wasn’t concerned about the race to become the National League’s batting champion.

“I think we’re just focusing on these last 12 games we’ve got here,” he said. “We’ve got a chance to do some good things.”

Cabrera said he was pleased that MLB and the Players Association accommodated his in-season request. Commissioner Bud Selig said Wednesday that he didn’t anticipate meddling with the batting title race, but on Friday, Selig changed his mind.

“I respect his gesture as a sign of his regret and his desire to move forward, and I believe that, under these circumstances, the outcome is appropriate, particularly for Mr. Cabrera’s peers who are contending for the batting crown,” Selig said in a statement.

The ruling was welcomed by manager Bruce Bochy, who said the move was a good one by Cabrera.

Bochy said the unprecedented decision would not alter his view of the batting title if Posey were to win it.

“No, not at all,” he said. “Buster has been here all year, and Melky had to miss a lot of time. I try to stay on the positive side. If (Posey) wins it, he earned it.”

Cabrera, 27, is a free agent at the end of the season and has had his image marred by the positive steroid test as well as an attempted cover-up that included a fake website. He would be eligible to return from his suspension after the Giants’ fifth postseason game, but club sources have indicated that there is little interest in bringing back Cabrera. The Giants entered Friday with a 23-10 record since Cabrera’s suspension.

“We’re not thinking about Melky at all,” Bochy said. “We’re thinking about what we need to do here.”

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